So your son or daughter has expressed interest in Lacrosse.
Welcome to the oldest game in North America!
You can read up on the history of lacrosse at Lacrosse Canada
You may have a lot of questions about the different terms and types of lacrosse but we'll try to break it down here.
Field Lacrosse (Outdoor Lacrosse)
Field lacrosse is what everyone pictures when they first think of lacrosse. It is played on an outdoor field with 10 players on each team. 3 attackers, 3 midfielders, 3 defenders, and 1 goalie. Stick and body checking is legal. This is what the PLL is based on.
10 vs 10
no shot clock
15 minute quarters
~1 hour games
Competitively played inside in a concrete or artifical turf hockey rink
Draws at start of periods or after a goal
6 foot net
Rules of Field Lacrosse Explained
Field Positions Explained
Box Lacrosse (Indoor Lacrosse)
Box lacrosse is much smaller than field lacrosse. Played in hockey rinks with fewer players and hockey goals, box lacrosse is very popular in Canada. Box lacrosse is the most physical variation of lacrosse. Cross-checking and bigger hits are legal and encouraged, players wear more pads due to this. Unlike field lacrosse, there is a 30 second shot clock. This is what the NLL is based on. Box lacrosse is played by both men and women usually in separate leagues, though some women do play in men's leagues.
6 v 6
30 shot clock
15 minute periods
~1 hour games
Competitively played inside in a concrete or artifical turf hockey rink
Draws at start of periods or after a goal
4 foot net
Rules of Box Lacrosse Explained
Women’s Field Lacrosse (Outdoor Lacrosse)
Women’s lacrosse is often compared to field lacrosse. It is played on a slightly bigger field with one more player on each team. Women’s lacrosse is much less physical than field or box lacrosse, players generally only wear goggles, and some wear gloves. Due to the less physical nature, the stick rules are drastically different than the other types of lacrosse. The pockets in the heads are shallower and officials check pocket depth more frequently. Whitby currently does not have a Women's field team. Interested players should check out the Lady Blue Knights in Oshawa.
Sixes Lacrosse (Outdoor Lacrosse)
Lacrosse sixes was created in 2018 by World Lacrosse in a bid to achieve lacrosse's participation in the Olympic Games where it will debut in 2028.
Sixes is a version of lacrosse played outdoors with six players on each team. The game follows similar rules to traditional field lacrosse, with modifications and a shorter game time, and is considered to be more fast-paced. Sixes has been described as a hybrid discipline of field and box lacrosse as well as a different sport entirely.
6 v 6, 12 players per team
30 shot clock
8-minute running-time quarters
~45-minute games
Competitively played outside on 70x36m grass or turf field
No specialist positions, just runners and goalies
Draws only at the start of each quarter
6 foot net
What is Lacrosse Sixes?